It looks like you're enjoying The BBQ Brethren's Forums but haven't created an account yet. Why not take a minute to register for your own free account now? As a member you get free access to all of our forums and posts plus the ability to post your own messages, communicate directly with other members, and much more. Register now!

Already a member? Login at the top of this page to stop seeing this message.

So HEB had it for $1/lb. Sounded like a good price. Is it? I bought one just shy of 9lbs with bone in. Would that yeild enough meat to feed like 6 adults? This is my first butt cook so i still need to reasearch rubs, cook time, cooker temps, internal temps and what-not. Can you give me what has worked for you successfully? Here is my butt. Based on pics, does this have an acceptable meat to fat ratio?

Price is great. As for rubs keep it simple for the first time. Trim off the fat cap. As for internal temps don't even pull out a thermometer. Set your pit to 250* - 275*. I do mine at 300* and can have an 9# butt ready in 5-6 hours. When a wooden skewer probes through the center like butter and the bone pulls easy you're done. Wrap in foil and then a bath towel and throw it into a warm cooler for at least 2 hours. Then pull it out and start yankin. A 9#er should give you 4-5 pounds of great eating. Add some more rub when its all cleaned and get some buns. Good luck and post tome PR0N.............

9 pounds is enough for 6 and that is a great price. I usually pay 1.50$ to 1.80$ depending on how much I feel like driving. Meat to fat looks good. I'm on my phone so bear with me.
Don't worry about time, cook 250-300 until a bamboo stick goes in like it will go into soft butter. I wrap mine with foil after I get a nice bark (when I can't pick the rub off with my fingernail) when it probes tender pull it and let it rest at least 30 mins. Go easy your first cook and allow plenty of extra time if you have people over.

Here is a link to a cook I did that was your basic pork butt cook LINKY

There are a few errors in that post, it was a cook from 5:30am to 8:30pm.

And I do a few things different now, but, everything there is applicable and will turn out a great product. Assuming you do not have time to buy rub by the weekend, and you don't have the Simply Marvelous rub, you can make you own easily enough.

A butt is a butt it has plenty of fat to meat, figure a bit over 4 lbs after cooking, 1/2 lb per feeds aprox 8, or less hungry soles..

can cook almost any temps, but keep it simple, rub heavily with your favorite rub. go 275 for about 4-5 hours until you like the color, I dont like it black, wrap with foil until done, start probing at 195 and pull when your probe slides in easily all over. wrest in a cooler, or oven that is off for a hour, and pull.
Should take 6-8 hours plus rest time.

rubs, injections, adding juice to foil are all options but this will get you in the ballpark.

I'm by no means any kind of BBQ expert, but I would suggest for your first time to KISS....keep it simple.

Plan to eat 15 hours after you smoke the butt...I like smoking at 225-230 for 12 hours, then rest for about three hours in a cooler wrapped in foil....

I don't go crazy with trimming...pick out a good rub or make your own, but again KISS...

Rub it down good on top, bottom and sides....put in the smoker for 12 hours @225-230. Remove and let rest in a cooler for about three hours....get a large aluminum pan and place the butt into it, grab the bone, should pull out very easy...pull and eat...sauce all or put sauce on table....

A butt is very easy to smoke...don't get crazy for the first few times...simple is better....

Here is a link to a cook I did that was your basic pork butt cook LINKY

There are a few errors in that post, it was a cook from 5:30am to 8:30pm.

And I do a few things different now, but, everything there is applicable and will turn out a great product. Assuming you do not have time to buy rub by the weekend, and you don't have the Simply Marvelous rub, you can make you own easily enough.

Here are some BASIC steps for a first cook of a butt:
1. Rub the butt with whatever rub you want. (There are dozens of threads about this.) Let the rub sit for at least an hour, up to overnight.
2. Foil the waterpan, and then fill about half-way with water.
3. Fill the charcoal ring about 2/3 full. Then put 10-15 lit coals in the middle of it. Put 3-4 wood chunks on top of the unlit coals.
4. Open all of the vents, and let the smoker get up to 275-300. When you get to temp, close two of the bottom vents, and close the third about halfway. That should lock your temp in. (Always, always, always keep the top vent open. It keeps the smoke flowing.)
5. Put the butt on the grate, and have a few beverages.
6. You shouldn't need to do anything other than keep an eye on the smoker temp and make small adjustments (if any) to the vents for the next several hours.
7. Seriously, just relax.
8. When the internal temp of the butt gets to 190-200, see if you can grab the bone (with a welding glove, it's gonna be HOT). When the bone wiggles loose, the meat is done.
9. When it's done, take it off the smoker, wrap it in foil, then foil again, then a towel, and put it in a cooler. Let it sit for at least 30 min.
10. Take it out, pull it apart, and eat the best meal you've ever made.

figure a bit over 4 lbs after cooking, 1/2 lb per feeds aprox 16, or less hungry soles..

I think we need a math check

I agree with 4-5 lbs after cooking. Typical butt yield is 50-60%. Where it goes wrong for me is the 16 servings at 1/2 lb each. If we go with 4 lbs cooked, at 1/2 lb per serving that's 8 servings. At 5 lbs that's 10 servings.